Display device, method of controlling display device, and computer program product

ABSTRACT

A display device including a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined.

CROSS-REFERENCE

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/251,834 filed on Oct. 3, 2011, which claimspriority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-228794 filed on Oct.8, 2010, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

In the past, there has been known a so-called multi-screen displayfunction for displaying a plurality of screens side by side using adisplay device (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-331471(Document 1) and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-295280 (Document2)).

When changing the image displayed on each screen of the multi-screendisplay function, an operation for selecting which image is displayed isrequired for each screen, and there arises a problem that the operationbecomes more cumbersome as the number of screens increases. In order forsolving the problem, the device described in Document 1, for example, isarranged to automatically start two-screen display after turning ON thepower, so that a viewer's favorite image is displayed on at least eitherone of the screens. Further, in Document 2, for example, there isdisclosed a configuration in which the television program displayed oneither one of the screens is switched in response to the operation of apredetermined key provided to a remote controller while the televisionreceiver is performing the multi-screen display. However, although suchdevices as described above are made, if the image to be displayed isselected in each of the screens on which the multi-screen display isperformed, the cumbersome operation is required, and therefore, furthersimplification of the operation has been required.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments may allow a user to perform the work of selectingthe image to be displayed on every screen displayed using themulti-screen function with a simpler operation.

According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, there isprovided a display device including a display section configured todisplay an image, a display control section configured to arrange aplurality of display areas in a display range of the display section anddisplay an image in each of the display areas, an image selectionsection configured to select the image to be displayed in each of thedisplay areas from a plurality of input images, and a multi-screendisplay control section configured to display an image designation paneladapted to designate an image of a display object out of the pluralityof input images on the display section, determine the images to bedisplayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to bedisplayed in all of the display areas are designated by an operationduring display of the image designation panel and a determinationoperation is performed, and make the image selection section select theimages determined.

According to this aspect of the embodiment, when performing themulti-screen display for arranging a plurality of display areas in thedisplay range, it is possible to designate the image to be displayed ineach of the display areas using the image designation panel, and theimages of the respective display areas designated by the operationduring the display of the image designation panel are determined in alump. Therefore, it is possible for the user to perform selection andswitching of the images to be displayed in all of the display areas witha simple and easy operation.

According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, there isprovided the display device described above, wherein the multi-screendisplay control section, if either of the input images is designated bythe operation during the display of the image designation panel, changesthe image designation panel so as to prevent an input image, which isnot allowed to be displayed simultaneously with the input imagedesignated, from being designated.

According to this aspect of the embodiment, in the case in which thereare input images not allowed to be displayed simultaneously in therespective areas to be displayed side-by-side by the display section,the image designation panel is changed so as to prevent these inputimages from being selected simultaneously. Thus, the user can easilyselect the images to be displayed in the plurality of display areas withthe allowable combination without considering the constraints by thesystem by him or herself.

According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, there isprovided the display device described above, wherein a plurality ofinput images of the same type is arranged to be able to be input, andthe multi-screen display control section, if either of the input imagesis designated by the operation during the display of the imagedesignation panel, changes a display form of the image designation panelso as to prevent an input image, which is of the same type as the inputimage designated, from being designated.

According to this aspect of the embodiment, if the user designateseither one of the input images by the operation during the display ofthe image designation panel, the input image not allowed to be displayedsimultaneously in combination with the input image thus designatedbecomes prevented from being designated. Thus, the user can easilyselect the images to be displayed in the plurality of display areas withthe allowable combination without considering the constraints by thesystem by him or herself.

According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, there isprovided the display device described above, wherein the multi-screendisplay control section, if either of the input images is designated bythe operation during the display of the image designation panel, and anoperation of designating an input image, which is not allowed to bedisplayed simultaneously with the input image already designated, isoperated, displays a warning.

According to this aspect of the embodiment, if the user designateseither one of the input images by the operation during the display ofthe image designation panel, and then performs an operation fordesignating the input image not allowed to be displayed simultaneouslyin combination with the input image thus designated, the warning isdisplayed. Thus, the user can easily select the images to be displayedin the plurality of display areas with the allowable combination withoutconsidering the constraints by the system by him or herself.

According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, there isprovided a method of controlling a display device including: providing adisplay device which arranges a plurality of display areas in a displayrange of a display section, selects an image to be displayed in each ofthe display areas from a plurality of input images, and displays theselected images in the respective display areas, displaying an imagedesignation panel adapted to designate an image of a display object outof the plurality of input images on the display section, determining theimages to be displayed on all of the display areas in a lump in responseto designation of the images to be displayed on all of the display areasby an operation during the display of the image designation panel and adetermination operation, and selecting the images determined from theinput images and displaying the images selected.

By executing the method of controlling a display device according tothis aspect of the embodiment, when the display device performs themulti-screen display for arranging a plurality of display areas in thedisplay range, it is possible to designate the image to be displayed ineach of the display areas using the image designation panel, and theimages of the respective display areas designated by the operationduring the display of the image designation panel are determined in alump. Therefore, it is possible for the user to perform selection andswitching of the images to be displayed in all of the display areas witha simple and easy operation.

According to at least one embodiment of the disclosure, there isprovided a computer program product embodied in at least one computerreadable medium and comprising computer instructions executable by acomputer controlling a display device including a display section andallowing the computer to function as: a display control section adaptedto arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of thedisplay section and display an image in each of the display areas, animage selection section adapted to select the image to be displayed ineach of the display areas from a plurality of input images, and amulti-screen display control section adapted to display an imagedesignation panel adapted to designate an image of a display object outof the plurality of input images on the display section, determine theimages to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if theimages to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated by anoperation during display of the image designation panel and adetermination operation is performed, and make the image selectionsection select the images determined.

By executing the program according to this aspect of the embodiment witha computer, when the display device performs the multi-screen displayfor arranging a plurality of display areas in the display range, it ispossible to designate the image to be displayed in each of the displayareas using the image designation panel, and the images of therespective display areas designated by the operation during the displayof the image designation panel are determined in a lump. Therefore, itis possible for the user to perform selection and switching of theimages to be displayed in all of the display areas with a simple andeasy operation.

According to the aspects of the embodiment, in the case of performingthe multi-screen display for arranging a plurality of display areas inthe display range, the images to be displayed in all of the displayareas can be selected and switched with an easier operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosurewill be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike reference numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a projectoraccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A through 2D are explanatory diagrams showing specific examplesof two-screen display, wherein FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show examples of thetwo-screen display, and FIG. 2D shows an example of displaying a menupanel as an OSD image.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams showing specific examples of asetting screen according to the two-screen display, wherein FIG. 3Ashows an example of the setting panel, and FIG. 3B shows an example of asource selection panel.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operations of the projector.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing operations of the projector.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of aprojector 1 as a display device to which the invention is applied. Theprojector 1 is a device provided with an interface section 10 connectedto an external image supply device (not shown) such as a personalcomputer or a variety of types of video players, and for projecting aninput image input from the interface section 10 to a screen SC. Althoughthe projector 1 is capable of displaying either of a still image and amoving image (a video), the case in which the video input from an imagesupply device is output for display is cited as an example in thefollowing explanation.

The interface section 10 has interfaces 10A, 10B to be connected tovideo output terminals of computers, interfaces 10C, 10D, and 10E to beconnected to video playback devices or DVD playback devices, aninterface 10F to be connected to a USB terminal of a computer, and aninterface 10G to be connected to a LAN configured including a computer.

The interfaces 10A, 10B are each configured including a VGA terminal towhich an analog video signal is input from a computer, a digital visualinterface (DVI) to which a digital video signal is input, and so on.

The interface 10C is provided with an S-video terminal to which acomposite video signal such as NTSC, PAL, or SECAM is input from a videooutput device such as a video playback device, a DVD playback device, atelevision tuner, a set-top box of a CATV, or a video game machine.

The interface 10D is provided with an RCA terminal to which a compositevideo signal is input from the video output device described above or aD-terminal to which a component video signal is input therefrom.

The interface 10E has an HDMI connector compliant with the HDMI(registered trademark), and a digital video signal is input thereto fromthe video output device described above.

The interface 10F is provided with a USB terminal not shown and a USBcontroller (not shown) for transmitting/receiving control data anddigital video data with the computer via the USB terminal. Further, theinterface 10G is provided with a terminal such as an RJ-45 terminal towhich a LAN cable can be connected, and is connected to a LAN includingone or a plurality of computers via the terminal. The interface 10G isprovided with a network interface circuit (not shown) compliant with,for example, the Ethernet (registered trademark), and transmits/receivescontrol data and digital video data with the computer constituting theLAN.

Here, the devices (the image supply devices described above) connectedto the interfaces 10A through 10G of the interface section 10 arereferred to as input sources.

In the present embodiment, the screen SC stands roughly upright, and thescreen surface is shaped like a rectangle. An image input to theprojector 1 can be either of a moving image (a video) and a still image,and the projector 1 is capable of projecting the video on the screen SCand of continuously projecting the still image on the screen SC. In theembodiment described below, the explanation is presented citing the caseof projecting the video based on the video signal input externally as anexample. In other words, the process of displaying the input video inthe explanation below can be applied to the case of displaying the stillimage input to the interface section 10 without modification.

The projector 1 is composed of an optical system for performing opticalimage formation and an image processing system for electricallyprocessing the video signal in view of the general classification. Theoptical system is composed of an illumination optical system 41, aliquid crystal panel 42, and a projection optical system 43. Theillumination optical system 41 is provided with a light sourceconsisting of, for example, a xenon lamp, a super-high pressure mercurylamp, or an LED. Further, the illumination optical system 41 can beprovided with a reflector and an auxiliary reflector for guiding thelight emitted by the light source to the liquid crystal panel 42, andcan be a system provided with, for example, a lens group (not shown) forimproving the optical characteristics of the projection light, apolarization plate, or a photochromic element for reducing the lightintensity of the light emitted by the light source on the path reachingthe liquid crystal panel 42.

The liquid crystal panel 42 (a display section) receives the signal fromthe image processing system described later, and then forms the image onthe panel surface. The liquid crystal panel 42 is composed of threeliquid crystal panels corresponding respectively to three primary colorsof RGB in order for performing color projection. Therefore, the lightfrom the illumination optical system 41 is separated into colored lightsof three colors of RGB, and the colored lights enter the correspondingliquid crystal panels, respectively. The colored lights modulated whilepassing through the respective liquid crystal panels are combined by acombining optical system such as a cross dichroic prism, and then outputto the projection optical system 43.

The projection optical system 43 is provided with, for example, a zoomlens for performing expansion and contraction of the image to beprojected and adjustment of the focus, a zoom controlling motor forcontrolling the level of the zoom, and a focus adjusting motor forperforming the focus adjustment. The projection optical system 43projects the incident light modulated by the liquid crystal panel 42 onthe screen SC using the zoom lens and then images it.

To this optical system, there are connected a projection optical systemdrive section 18 for driving the respective motors provided to theprojection optical system 43 in accordance with the control of thecontrol section 11, and a light source drive section 19 for driving thelight source provided to the illumination optical system 41 inaccordance with the control of the control section 11.

Meanwhile, the image processing system is configured around the controlsection 11 for integrally controlling the whole of the projector 1, andis provided with a storage section 12 storing data to be processed bythe control section 11 and a program to be executed by the controlsection 11, an input processing section 13 for detecting an operationvia an operation panel 31 and a remote control receiver 33, a displaycontrol section 15 for processing the input video input via theinterface section 10, an image processing section 16, and a liquidcrystal panel drive section 17 for driving the liquid crystal panel 42based on the video signal output from the display control section 15 tothereby perform drawing.

The control section 11 reads out and executes a control program storedin the storage section 12 to thereby control each section of theprojector 1. The control section 11 detects the content of the operationperformed by the user based on the operation signal input from the inputprocessing section 13, and then controls the display control section 15,the projection optical system drive section 18, and the light sourcedrive section 19 in accordance with the operation to thereby project thevideo on the screen SC.

The main body of the projector 1 is provided with the operation panel 31having various switches for the user to perform the operation andindicator lamps. The operation panel 31 is connected to the inputprocessing section 13, and the input processing section 13 appropriatelylights or blinks the indicator lamps of the operation panel 31 inaccordance with the operation state and the setting state of theprojector 1 under the control of the control section 11. If the switchof the operation panel 31 is operated, the operation signalcorresponding to the switch thus operated is output from the inputprocessing section 13 to the control section 11.

Further, the projector 1 has a remote controller 5 used by the user. Theremote controller 5 is provided with various types of buttons, andtransmits the infrared signal in accordance with the operation of thesebuttons. The main body of the projector 1 is provided with the remotecontrol receiver 33 for receiving the infrared signal emitted by theremote controller 5. The remote control receiver 33 decodes the infraredsignal received from the remote controller 5 to thereby generate theoperation signal representing the operation content in the remotecontroller 5, and then outputs it to the control section 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the remote controller 5 is provided with a powerbutton 51, a plurality of input switching buttons 52 for instructingswitching of the input signals while the projector 1 performs usualdisplay, a plurality of numeric keypad buttons 53 for performing inputof numeric characters, a menu button 55 for instructing of display of amenu panel displayed as an OSD image, a “return” button 56 forinstructing transition to the previous screen during the operation inthe menu panel, a plurality of cursor button 57 for instructingtransition to a selection item located on the left, right, top, orbottom during the operation in the menu panel, a “decision” button 58for instructing determination of the selection content during theoperation in the menu panel, and a “split” button 59 for instructingstart of two-screen display. The plurality of numeric keypad buttons 53is assigned not only with the function of input of numeric charactersbut also with functions as buttons for instructing zoom control, focuscontrol, change in the color mode, change of the aspect ratio, mute, andso on, respectively.

The display control section 15 provided to the projector 1 is connectedto the interface section 10, and the input video externally input to theinterfaces 10A through 10G provided to the interface section 10 is inputto the display control section 15. The display control section 15 isprovided with a source selection section 23 (an image selection section)for selecting the video signal to be displayed on the liquid crystalpanel 42 among the input video signals input from the interface section10 under the control of the control section 11. The display controlsection 15 generates a display signal based on the video signal thusselected by the source selection section 23, and then output it to theliquid crystal panel drive section 17.

The image processing section 16 is connected to the display controlsection 15. The image processing section 16 performs image processingfor converting the input video to be input from each of the inputsources via the interface section 10 into a form suitable for thedisplay of the liquid crystal panel 42. The image processing section 16incorporates a computer-related image processing section 26, avideo-related image processing section 27, an HDMI-related imageprocessing section 28, and a USB-related image processing section 29.

The computer-related image processing section 26 is a processing sectionfor processing the input video input to the interfaces 10A, 10B.Specifically, the processing section performs analog-digital conversionand interlace-progressive conversion on the video signal input from thecomputer, and further performs resolution conversion in accordance withthe display resolution of the liquid crystal panel 42, and then outputsthe video signal after the conversion to the display control section 15.

The video-related image processing section 27 performs theanalog-digital conversion and the interlace-progressive conversion onthe composite video signal or the component video signal input from theinterfaces 10C, 10D, and further performs the resolution conversion inaccordance with the display resolution of the liquid crystal panel 42,and then outputs the video signal after the conversion to the displaycontrol section 15.

The HDMI-related image processing section 28 appropriately performs theinterlace-progressive conversion and the resolution conversion on thedigital video signal input from the interface 10E in accordance with thespecification of the liquid crystal panel 42, and then outputs the videosignal after the conversion to the display control section 15.

The USB-related image processing section 29 buffers the digital videodata input from the interfaces 10F, 10G, then appropriately performsformat conversion thereon in accordance with the specification of theliquid crystal panel 42, and then outputs the video signal after theconversion to the display control section 15.

When the input source is selected by the source selection section 23provided to the display control section 15, the input video from theinput source thus selected is input to the image processing section 16.In the image processing section 16, the image processing correspondingto the specification of the input video is performed on the input videoby the image processing section 26 through 29 corresponding to the inputsource selected by the source selection section 23, and the video signalwith the predetermined format is output to the display control section15.

In the case in which the projector 1 performs the two-screen displaydescribed later, since a plurality of videos are displayed on the screenSC, the source selection section 23 selects a plurality of inputsources, and a plurality of video signals is input from the displaycontrol section 15 to the image processing section 16. The imageprocessing section 16 processes the video signals with the imageprocessing sections 26 through 29 corresponding to the respective videosignals thus input, and then outputs the plurality of video signals tothe display control section 15. It should be noted that neither one ofthe image processing sections 26 through 29 is capable of simultaneouslyprocessing the video signals of two or more input sources. Thecomputer-related image processing section 26, for example, is notcapable of processing the input video of either one of the interfaces10A, 10B while processing the input video of the other thereof, andsimilarly, the video-related image processing section 27 alsoexclusively selects either one of the interfaces 10C, 10D, and thenperforms the processing. The same can be applied to the USB-relatedimage processing section 29, and the USB-related image processingsection 29 processes the input video of either one of the interfaces10F, 10G. Therefore, if the source selection section 23 selects aplurality of input sources, it is restricted so as not to select inputsources processed by the same image processing section among the imageprocessing sections 26 through 29. Specifically, there is a restrictionthat it is not achievable to simultaneously select the interfaces 10Aand 10B, the interfaces 10C and 10D, or the interfaces 10F and 10G.

The image processing sections 26 through 29 are each capable of settingthe resolution of the video to be output to the display resolutionsuitable for the two-screen display instead of the display resolution ofthe liquid crystal panel 42 under the control of the control section 11.Further, it is also possible for each of the image processing sections26 through 29 to control the brightness, the color, and the contrast ofthe video to be output under the control of the control section 11.Thus, it is possible to make the two videos displayed side-by-sideprovide a sensation of unity when performing the two-screen display.

The projector 1 is capable of performing the two-screen display fordisplaying two screens side-by-side on the screen SC in addition to thenormal display for displaying a single screen on the screen SC. If the“split” button 59 of the remote controller 5 is operated in thecondition of performing the normal display for displaying a single videoon the screen SC, the two-screen display is started.

In the case of performing the two-screen display, the display controlsection 15 selects two video signals using the source selection section23 when the projector 1 performs the two-screen display. The displaycontrol section 15 is provided with a two-screen display processingsection 24 for performing the process of displaying the two videosside-by-side in the area projected on the screen SC. The two-screendisplay processing section 24 generates the video signal forsimultaneously displaying the two video signals selected by the sourceselection section 23 side-by-side, and then outputs it to the liquidcrystal panel drive section 17.

FIGS. 2A through 2D are explanatory diagrams showing specific examplesof the two-screen display, wherein FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show examples ofthe two-screen display, and FIG. 2D shows an example of displaying amenu panel as an OSD image.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 2A through 2D, the area on the screen SCin which the projector 1 can project an image is defined as a displayrange 100, and a plurality of display areas each for displaying a videois disposed in the display range 100. In the example shown in FIG. 2A, aleft display area 101 and a right display area 103 having the same sizeare disposed laterally side-by-side. Further, in the example shown inFIG. 2B, the left display area 101 is displayed in a large size, and theright display area 103 is displayed in a small size. In contrast, in theexample shown in FIG. 2C, the left display area 101 is disposed in asmall size, and the right display area 103 is disposed in a large size.The sizes of the left display area 101 and the right display area 103,and the ratio between the sizes of the left display area 101 and theright display area 103 can arbitrarily be adjusted. It should be notedthat although in either of the examples shown in FIGS. 2A through 2Cthere is shown a configuration of disposing the plurality of displayareas arranged in a lateral direction, it is also possible to displaythe display areas arranged in a vertical direction or an obliquedirection, and it is also possible to leave a blank space between thedisplay areas. Further, in either of the examples shown in FIGS. 2Athrough 2C, the left display area 101 and the right display area 103 aredisplayed in a condition of keeping the aspect ratio of the originalvideo. Therefore, the blank areas 104 other than the left display area101 and the right display area 103 occur in the display range 100.However, it is also possible to perform the two-screen display so as notto cause the blank areas 104 by expanding or contracting the leftdisplay area 101 and the right display area 103 without keeping theaspect ratio. Further, it is also possible to dispose three or moredisplay areas in the display range 100, and on this occasion, aplurality of display areas can be disposed in the display range 100without a gap by adjusting the sizes of the display areas.

During the period in which the projector 1 performs the two-screendisplay, the videos of the input sources selected by the sourceselection section 23 (FIG. 1) among the input sources connected to theinterface section 10 (FIG. 1) are displayed in the left display area 101and the right display area 103, respectively. If the user wants toswitch the videos to be displayed in the left display area 101 and theright display area 103, the user operates the menu button 55 of theremote controller 5 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 2D, the menu panel 105 isdisplayed in the display range 100 in response to this operation. Themenu panel 105 is displayed as an OSD image so as to be superimposed onthe videos of the left display area 101 and the right display area 103.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display control section 15 is provided with anOSD processing section 25 for processing the video signal generated bythe two-screen display processing section 24 to thereby generate thevideo signal for displaying the menu panel or the like as OSD images.Under the control of the control section 11, the OSD processing section25 reads out OSD display data 21 stored in the storage section 12, andthen displays the menu panel 105 (FIG. 2D), and a setting panel 107, asource selection panel 109, and so on described later superimposed onthe videos based on the OSD display data 21.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams showing specific examples of asetting panel (image designation panel) according to the two-screendisplay, wherein FIG. 3A shows an example of the setting panel 107, andFIG. 3B shows an example of the source selection panel 109.

If the menu button 55 of the remote controller 5 is operated in thecondition in which the projector 1 is performing the normal display fordisplaying a single video on the screen SC or the two-screen displayshown in FIGS. 2A through 2C, the control section 11 controls thedisplay control section 15 to display the menu panel on the screen SC.The menu panel is displayed as an OSD image so as to be superimposed onthe video, which has already been displayed. Further, if it isinstructed by the operation of the remote controller 5 while displayingthe menu panel that the setting regarding the two-screen display isperformed, the control section 11 controls the OSD processing section 25to display the setting panel 107 as an OSD image.

The setting panel 107 is a setting panel for performing various settingsrelated to the two-screen display, and has an area for displaying thatit is the setting panel 107 for the two-screen display located on theupper left of the panel, and various setting items 111 are disposedside-by-side at the center of the panel. As the setting items, there canbe cited, for example, a “screen size” for setting the sizes (the ratiobetween the sizes) of the display areas disposed laterally side-by-side,“input sources” for setting the input sources of the videos to bedisplayed in the respective display areas, “right and left screenexchange” for exchanging the display positions of the two display areas,and “audio switching” for selecting the display area the audio of whichis output out of the two display areas. Further, if the setting panel107 is displayed during the two-screen display, the setting item forinstructing the termination of the two-screen display is also displayed.Further, the setting panel 107 is provided with a return button 112 forinstructing the transition to the original menu panel.

If the setting item “input sources” of the setting panel 107 is selectedby the operation of the remote controller 5 while displaying the settingpanel 107, the control section 11 controls the OSD processing section 25to display the source selection panel 109. The source selection panel109 is a panel for setting the input sources of the videos to bedisplayed in the two display areas presently displayed. There is an areadisplaying that it is the setting panel for the input sources on theupper left of the panel, and at the center of the panel there isdisposed a source display section 116 for displaying the selectableinput sources as a list. In the source display section 116, theinterface 10A is displayed as “computer 1,” the interface 10B isdisplayed as “computer 2,” the interface 10C is displayed as “S-video,”the interface 10D is displayed as “video,” the interface 10E isdisplayed as “HDMI,” the interface 10F is displayed as “USB,” and theinterface 10G is displayed as “LAN.”

Further, on the left of the panel, there are disposed a left-screencursor 117 for selecting the video to be displayed in the left displayarea 101 (FIG. 2A) and a right-screen cursor 118 for selecting the videoto be displayed in the right display area 103 (FIG. 2A). In each of theleft-screen cursor 117 and the right-screen cursor 118, it is possibleto select just one input source, and the selected input source ishighlighted (in reversed display in the drawing). The operation ofselecting the input source is performed using the menu button 55 and the“decision” button 58 of the remote controller 5. When the one inputsource is selected by each of the left-screen cursor 117 and theright-screen cursor 118, and then an “execution” button 119 is selected,the selection in the source selection panel 109 is determined. Taking acue from the determination, the control section 11 makes the sourceselection section 23 select the input sources.

Here, a series of operations for selecting the input sources in theprojector 1 will be explained. In the following operations, the controlsection 11 functions as a multi-screen display control section.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operations of the projector 1.

If the operation of the menu button 55 of the remote controller 5 isperformed (step S11) while the projector 1 performs the normal displayor the two-screen display, the control section 11 controls the OSDprocessing section 25 to generate the video signal for displaying themenu panel as an OSD image, and then the liquid crystal drive section 17displays the menu panel on the liquid crystal panel 42 based on thevideo signal (step S12). Here, if the transition to the setting panel107 for performing the setting of the two-screen display is instructedby the operation of the remote controller 5 (step S13), the controlsection 11 controls the OSD processing section 25 to display the settingpanel 107 on the liquid crystal panel 42 (step S14).

If the input source selection is instructed (step S15) by the operationof the remote controller 5 while displaying the setting panel 107, thecontrol section 11 controls the OSD processing section 25 to display(step S16) the source selection panel 109 on the liquid crystal panel42.

Here, if the input sources of the videos to be displayed respectively inthe left-display area 101 and the right-display area 103 are selected bythe operation of the cursor buttons 57 and the “decision” button 58 ofthe remote controller 5 (step S17), the control section 11 specifies(step S18) the two input sources presently selected. The control section11 determines (step S19) whether or not the two input sources thusselected are the combination allowed to be displayed simultaneously.Since each of the image processing sections 26 through 29 provided tothe image processing section 16 is not capable of simultaneouslyprocessing the videos of two input sources out of the correspondinginput sources as described above, there exist combinations of the inputsources which are not allowed to be displayed simultaneously. If thecontrol section 11 determines that the combination of the input sourcespresently selected obtained in the step S18 corresponds to thecombination thereof not allowed to be displayed simultaneously (NO instep S19), the control section 11 displays (step S20) a message that theinput sources are not allowed to be selected simultaneously in thesource selection panel 109 or superimposed on the source selection panel109, then releases the selection state of the input sources presentlyselected, and then returns to the step S17 to enable selection by theoperation of the remote controller 5 again.

Further, if the control section 11 determines that the combination ofthe input sources presently selected obtained in the step S18 is thecombination thereof allowed to be displayed (YES in step S19), thecontrol section 11 waits (step S21) for the operation of determining thetwo input sources presently selected, namely until the “execution”button 119 is selected. Here, if the “execution” button 119 is notselected within a predetermined period of time, the process returns tothe step S17. Further, if the “execution” button 119 is selected, thecontrol section 11 determines the input sources thus selected as theinput sources of the respective display areas, and then controls thesource selection section 23 of the display control section 15 to select(step S22) the input sources. Subsequently, the control section 11starts the two-screen display and, at the same time, terminates (stepS23) the OSD display, projects the videos on the screen SC, then makes atransition to the state of waiting for the operation of the remotecontroller 5, and then terminates the present process.

As described above, since the message for warning that the input sourcesare not allowed to be selected simultaneously is displayed if thecombination of the input sources not allowed to be displayedsimultaneously is selected in the source selection panel 109, it ispossible for the user to select the combination complying with thespecifications of the projector 1 even if the user does not remember byhim or herself the combinations thereof allowed to be displayedsimultaneously. Further, since the warning display described above isdisplayed in the state in which the two input sources are selected priorto the determination by the “execution” button 119, the user can easilymake a selection again.

Further, it is also possible to change the display configuration of thesource selection panel 109 so that the combinations of the input sourcesnot allowed to be displayed simultaneously cannot be selected inaddition to performing the warning display. FIG. 5 shows the operationin this case.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the operation shownin FIG. 4.

In the operation shown in FIG. 5, the operation corresponding to thesteps S11 through S16 is performed similarly to the case shown in FIG.4. In the step S17, if the input source of the video to be displayed ineither of the left-display area 101 and the right-display area 103 isselected by the operation of the cursor buttons 57 and the “decision”button 58 of the remote controller 5 (step S26), the control section 11specifies (step S27) the one input source presently selected.Subsequently, the control section 11 replaces the display of the inputsource, which is not allowed to be displayed simultaneously with theinput source presently selected, with dark display, and at the sametime, sets the input to the unselectable state (step S28).

If, for example, the “computer 1” is selected with the left-screencursor 117 in FIG. 3B, the control section 11 replaces the “computer 2”of the right-screen cursor 118 with the dark display in order forclearly showing that it is unselectable. Further, the control section 11set the state in which the “computer 2” cannot be selected with theright-screen cursor 118 in response to the operation of the “decision”button 58 (FIG. 1).

Subsequently, the control section 11 waits until the input source otherthan the input source with the dark display is selected and then the“execution” button 119 is selected (step S29). Here, if the “execution”button 119 is not selected within a predetermined period of time, theprocess returns to the step S26. Further, if the “execution” button 119is selected, the control section 11 determines the input sources thusselected as the input sources of the respective display areas, and thenexecutes the process corresponding to the steps S22 through S24.

As described above, the projector 1 according to the embodiment to whichthe invention is applied is provided with the liquid crystal panel 42for displaying the still images and the videos, the display controlsection 15 for disposing the plurality of display areas 101, 103side-by-side in the display range 100 of the liquid crystal panel 42,and displaying the videos in the respective display areas 101, 103, andthe source selection section 23 for selecting the input sources of thevideos to be displayed in the respective display areas 101, 103 out ofthe plurality of input videos. Further, under the control of the controlsection 11, the projector 1 displays the source selection panel 109 fordesignating the video of the display object out of the plurality ofinput videos on the liquid crystal panel 42, determines the videos to bedisplayed in all of the display areas 101, 103 in a lump if the videosto be displayed in all of the display areas 101, 103 are selected andthen the determination operation is performed by the operation of theremote controller 5 during the display of the source selection panel109, and then makes the source selection section 23 select the videosthus determined. Therefore, in the case of performing the two-screendisplay for disposing the plurality of display areas 101, 103side-by-side in the display range 100, the videos to be displayed in therespective display areas 101, 103 can be designated with the sourceselection panel 109, and thus the videos of the respective display areas101, 103 designated by the operation of the remote controller 5 duringthe display of the source selection panel 109 are determined in a lump,the videos of the input sources determined by the display controlsection 15 are selected, then displayed. Therefore, it is possible forthe user to perform selection and switching of the videos to bedisplayed in the two display areas 101, 103 with a simple and easyoperation.

When either of the input sources is selected by the operation of theremote controller 5 during the display of the source selection panel109, if the input source not allowed to be displayed simultaneously withthe input source thus selected is selected, the projector 1 displays thewarning message on the source selection panel 109 or superimposed on thesource selection panel 109 as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the user caneasily select the input sources of the videos to be displayed in theplurality of display areas 101, 103 with the allowable combinationwithout considering the constraints by the system by him or herself.

Further, the projector 1 is provided with the interface section 10capable of inputting the plurality of input sources of the same type,and as shown in FIG. 5, if either of the input sources is designated bythe operation of the remote controller 5 during the display of thesource selection panel 109, the control section 11 changes the displayconfiguration of the source selection panel 109 so as to prevent theinput source, which is of the same type as the input source presentlydesignated, from being designated. Specifically, if the user designatesthe input source with one of the left-screen cursor 117 and theright-screen cursor 118 of the source selection panel 109, the inputsource, which is not allowed to be displayed in combination with theinput source thus designated, is prevented from being designated withthe other of the cursors.

The computer-related interfaces 10A and 10B processed by thecomputer-related image processing section 26, the video-relatedinterfaces 10C and 10D processed by the video-related image processingsection 27, and the computer-related interfaces 10F and 10G processed bythe USB-related image processing section 29 are each the input sourcesof the same type. Since these are not allowed to be selectedsimultaneously, if one of these is selected by the left-screen cursor117 or the right-screen cursor 118, the control section 11 makes theother unselectable. Thus, the user can easily select the input sourcesof the videos to be displayed in the plurality of display areas 101, 103with the allowable combination without considering the constraints bythe system by him or herself.

It should be noted that the embodiment described above is nothing morethan an example of a specific aspect to which the invention is applied,and therefore, does not limit the invention. Therefore, it is alsopossible to apply the invention as an aspect different from theembodiment described above. For example, although in the embodimentdescribed above the explanation is presented citing the configuration inwhich the input sources of the videos displayed in the respectivedisplay areas 101, 103 are selected in accordance with the operation ofthe remote controller 5 during the display of the source selection panel109 as an example, the invention is not limited thereto. The inputsources can be selected by the operation of the switches provided to theoperation panel 31, and it is also possible to adopt the configurationin which the remote controller 5 is provided with an operator having astick shape or a dial shape in addition to the buttons, and the inputsources are selected by the operation of such an operator. Further,although in the embodiment described above the explanation is presentedciting the case of disposing the two display areas 101, 103 side-by-sidein the display range 100 in the screen SC as an example, the inventionis not limited thereto, but it is also possible to perform the displaywith more videos arranged.

Further, although in the embodiment described above the explanation ispresented citing, as an example, the configuration of using the liquidcrystal panel 42 composed of the three transmissive or reflective liquidcrystal panels corresponding to the respective colors of RGB as thedisplay section for modulating the light emitted by the light source,the invention is not limited thereto, but can be configured using asystem including one liquid crystal panel and a color wheel combinedwith each other, a system using three digital mirror devices (DMD), aDMD system using one digital mirror device and a color wheel combinedwith each other, and so on. Here, in the case of using the just oneliquid crystal panel or DMD, the member corresponding to the combiningoptical system such as the cross dichroic prism is not necessary.Further, besides the liquid crystal panel or the DMD, any configurationcapable of modulating the light emitted from the light source can beadopted without problems.

Further, although in the embodiment described above the explanation ispresented assuming that there is adopted the configuration of selectingthe input images input from the plurality of input sources to theinterface section 10 and processing them with the image processingsection 16, the invention is not limited thereto, but there can beadopted a configuration of executing the series of processes with theimage supply device such as a personal computer externally connected tothe projector 1. The image supply device in this case can be arranged tobe provided with the functions of the control section 11, the storagesection 12, the display control section 15, and image processing section16 provided to the projector 1. Further, the invention can also berealized as a program executed by such a device. In such aconfiguration, it is sufficient for the projector 1 to be arranged toproject the image input from the image supply device described above tothe screen SC.

Further, the display device according to the invention is not limited tothe projector for projecting the videos to the screen SC, but variousdisplay devices including a liquid crystal monitor or a liquid crystaltelevision set for displaying images/videos on a liquid crystal panel, amonitor device or a television receiver for displaying images/videos ona plasma display panel (PDP), a light emitting display device such as amonitor device or the television receiver for displaying images/videoson an organic EL display panel called an organic light-emitting diode(OLED), an organic electroluminescence (OEL), and so on can also beincluded in the image display device according to the invention. In thiscase, the liquid crystal panel, the plasma display panel, and theorganic EL display panel correspond to the display section.

Further, each of the functional sections of the projector 1 shown inFIG. 1 is for showing the functional configuration of the projector 1,and the specific mounting forms are not particularly limited. In otherwords, it is not necessarily required to mount the hardwarecorresponding individually to each of the functional sections, but it isobviously possible to adopt the configuration of realizing the functionsof the plurality of functional sections by one processor executing theprogram. For example, it is also possible to configure the whole of theimage processing section 16 including the image processing sections 26through 29 with a single device, or it is also possible to realize thefunctions of the display control section 15 and the image processingsection 16 with a single device. Further, a part of the functionrealized by the software in the embodiment described above can also berealized by hardware, or a part of the function realized by hardware canalso be realized by software. Besides the above, the specific detailedconfiguration of the projector 1 can arbitrarily be modified within thescope or the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device comprising: a display sectionconfigured to display an image comprising a plurality of input imagesfrom different input sources; a display control section configured toarrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the displaysection and display an input image in each of the display areas; asource selection section configured to select, from a plurality of inputsources, the input sources of the input images to be displayed in thedisplay range, the plurality of input sources including two or moreinput sources of a same type; and a multi-screen display control sectionconfigured to: display a source designation panel adapted to designatean input source out of the plurality of input sources, and perform, ifany of the two or more input sources of the same type is designatedduring the display of the source designation panel, at least one of:change the source designation panel so as to prevent another of the twoor more input sources of the same type from being designated, anddisplay a warning if an operation of designating the another of the twoor more input sources of the same type is operated.
 2. The displaydevice according to claim 1, wherein: the multi-screen display controlsection changes the source designation panel so as to prevent theanother of the two or more input sources of the same type from beingdesignated by changing a display form of the source designation panel.3. A method of controlling a display device, comprising: providing adisplay device which arranges a plurality of display areas in a displayrange of a display section, selects an input source of an input image tobe displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of inputsources, the plurality of input sources including two or more inputsources of a same type connected to the display device, and displays theinput images of the selected input sources in the respective displayareas; displaying a source designation panel adapted to designate theinput sources of the input images out of the plurality of input sourceson the display section; determining the input sources of the inputimages to be displayed on all of the display areas; and performing, ifany of the two or more input sources of the same type is designated bythe operation during the display of the source designation panel, atleast one of: changing the source designation panel so as to preventanother of the two or more input sources of the same type from beingdesignated, and displaying a warning if an operation of designating theanother of the two or more input sources of the same type is operated.4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein: the changing thesource designation panel so as to prevent another of the two or moreinput sources of the same type from being designated comprises changinga display form of the source designation panel.
 5. A display devicecomprising: a display section configured to display a plurality of inputimages; a source selection section configured to select, from aplurality of input sources, the input sources to be displayed by thedisplay section; a display control section configured to arrange aplurality of display areas and display an input image in each of thedisplay areas; and a multi-screen display control section configured todisplay a source designation panel adapted to designate the input sourceout of the plurality of input sources, wherein the multi-screen displaycontrol section, if any of the input sources is designated, performs atleast one of: changes the source designation panel so as to preventdesignation of another input source of the same type as the input sourcedesignated, and displays a warning if an operation of designating theanother input source of the same type as the input source designated isoperated.
 6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein: themulti-screen display control section changes the source designationpanel so as to prevent the another input source from being designated bychanging a display form of the source designation panel.
 7. A method ofcontrolling a display device, comprising: providing a display devicewhich arranges a plurality of display areas, selects an input source ofan input image to be displayed in each of the display areas from aplurality of input sources, the plurality of input sources including twoor more input sources of a same type, and displays the input images ofthe selected input sources in the respective display areas; displaying asource designation panel adapted to designate the input sources out ofthe plurality of input sources on the display section; determining theinput sources of the input images to be displayed; performing, if any ofthe input sources is designated by the operation, at least one of:changing the source designation panel so as to prevent another inputsource of the same type as the input source designated from beingdesignated, and displaying a warning if an operation of designating theanother input source of the same type as the input source designated isoperated.
 8. The method of controlling a display device according toclaim 7, wherein: the changing the source designation panel so as toprevent the another input source from being designated compriseschanging a display form of the source designation panel.
 9. A displaydevice comprising: a source selection section configured to select afirst input source and a second input source from a plurality of inputsources; a display section configured to display a first input image anda second input image, the first input image being based on the firstinput source and the second input image being based on the second inputsource; and a multi-screen display control section configured to displaya first source designation panel and a second source designation panel,the first source designation panel being adapted to designate the firstinput source from the plurality of input sources and the second sourcedesignation panel being adapted to designate the second input sourceform the plurality of input sources, wherein the multi-screen displaycontrol section, if the first input source is designated, performs atleast one of: changes the second designation panel so as to preventdesignation of another input source of the same type as the first inputsource, and displays a warning if an operation of designating theanother input source of the same type as the first input source.
 10. Thedisplay device according to claim 9, wherein: the multi-screen displaycontrol section changes the second source designation panel so as toprevent the another input source from being designated by changing adisplay form of the second source designation panel.
 11. The displaydevice according to claim 9, further comprising: a display controlsection configured to arrange a first display area and a second displayarea in a display range, the display control section being configured todisplay the first input image in the first display area and display thesecond input image in the second display area.